Systems and methods for dimensionally rating mail pieces including cards, letters, flats, mailers, packages and parcels using a pointing device such as a digital pen are described. In one illustrative configuration the system includes a digital pen, a three dimensional digital pen pattern device, a computer and a printer for printing evidence of postage payment. A mail piece such as a small parcel is placed on the opened three dimensional digital pen pattern device. The user may select a digital pen pattern command box or may otherwise engage or be prompted to begin measurements. For a rectangular parcel, the user selects a bottom right and then a top left measurement point. The system then calculates the dimensions of the parcel, dimensionally rates it and then accounts for and prints a corresponding postage indicium.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A dimensional rating system for providing dimensional rating measurement data regarding a mail piece comprising: a digital pen sensing device having a first portion with a first surface and a second portion with a second surface, wherein the first portion operatively connected to the second portion at an approximately ninety degree angle; wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a digital pen sensor; a digital pen for obtaining a plurality of measurement data points using the digital pen sensing device; and a computer having a dimensional rating lookup table, the computer configured for receiving the measurement data points and for determining dimensional rating measurement data for the mail piece using the dimensional rating lookup table, wherein the computer receives the measurement data points from the digital pen, and wherein, the dimensional rating system estimates the girth of the mail piece using a plurality of measurement data points obtained from measuring the mail piece adjacent to at least one of the first and second surfaces.
2. The dimensional rating system of claim 1 , further comprising: a printer operatively connected to the computer for printing postage indicium based upon the dimensional rating measurement data.
3. The dimensional rating system of claim 2 , wherein, the computer is operatively connected to the digital pen using a wireless communications channel.
4. The dimensional rating system of claim 2 , wherein, the computer is operatively connected to the digital pen using a docking station and whereby the computer receives the plurality of measurement data points after all of the plurality of measurement data points have been measured using the digital pen.
5. The dimensional rating system of claim 1 , wherein, the digital pen sensor comprises a digital pen pattern.
6. The dimensional rating system of claim 1 , wherein, the mail piece is a parcel having a shape that is approximately a rectangular prism; the first surface is displaced in a horizontal plane and the second surface is displaced in a vertical plane; the computer is configured to determine a length of a mail piece using one of the plurality of measurement data points received associated with a measurement taken by the digital pen on the first surface corresponding to a first corner of the mail piece; the computer is configured to determine a width of a mail piece using one of the plurality of measurement data points received associated with a measurement taken by the digital pen on the second surface corresponding to a second corner of the mail piece, wherein the second corner of the mail piece is diagonally opposed to the first corner.
7. The dimensional rating system of claim 6 , wherein, the system provides audio prompts for a user to take the measurements at the first and second corners of the mail piece.
8. The dimensional rating system of claim 2 , wherein, the computer is resident in the printer.
9. A scale for providing weight and dimensional rating measurement data regarding a mail piece comprising: a scale platform having a digital pointing sensing device having a first portion with a first surface and a second portion with a second surface, wherein the first portion is pivotally connected to the second portion and may be configured at an approximately ninety degree angle; wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a digital pointing device sensor; a digital pointing device for obtaining a plurality of measurement data points using the digital pointing sensing device; and a processor having a dimensional rating lookup table, the processor configured for receiving the measurement data points and for determining dimensional rating measurement data for the mail piece using the dimensional rating lookup table, wherein the processor receives the measurement data points from the digital pen, wherein: the first portion has a back surface; the first portion may be pivoted to adjacent the second portion so that the first surface is flush against the second surface; and the back surface accepts mail pieces for weighing.
10. The scale of claim 9 , further comprising: a weight sensor operatively connected to the scale platform for obtaining weight data associated with the mail piece; and a display operatively connected to the processor for displaying the weight data and the dimensional rating measurement data.
11. The scale of claim 10 , wherein: the digital pointing device comprises a digital pen and the digital pointing sensing device comprises a digital pen pattern sensing device.
12. The scale of claim 11 , wherein: the scale further comprises a second digital pointing sensing device, wherein the second digital pointing device includes a rigid pole marked with digital pen pattern.
13. The scale of claim 9 , wherein: the scale enters a dimensional rating mode when the first surface is pivoted to a position approximately 90 degrees from the second surface.
14. The scale of claim 9 , wherein: the scale estimates the girth of the mail piece using a plurality of measurement data points obtained from the mail piece edges adjacent to the first surface.
15. A mailing machine having a platform scale for dimensionally weighing a mail piece comprising: the platform scale having a digital pen sensing device having a first portion with a first surface and a second portion with a second surface, wherein the first portion is pivotally connected to the second portion and may be configured at an approximately ninety degree angle; wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a digital pen device sensor; a digital pen device for obtaining a plurality of measurement data points using the digital pen sensing device; and a processor having a dimensional rating lookup table, the processor configured for receiving the measurement data points and for determining dimensional rating measurement data for the mail piece using the dimensional rating lookup table, wherein the processor receives the measurement data points from the digital pen, and wherein the mailing machine estimates the girth of the mail piece using a plurality of measurement data points obtained from measuring the mail piece adjacent to at least one of the first and second surfaces.
16. The mailing machine of claim 15 , further comprising: a weight sensor operatively connected to the platform scale for obtaining weight data associated with the mail piece; and a printer for printing postage indicium labels based upon the dimensional rating measurement data and the weight.
17. The mailing machine of claim 15 , wherein: the platform scale enters a dimensional rating mode when the first surface is pivoted to a position approximately 90 degrees from the second surface.
18. The mailing machine of claim 15 , wherein: the first portion has a back surface; the first portion may be pivoted to adjacent the second portion so that the first surface is flush against the second surface; and the back surface accepts mail pieces for weighing.
19. The mailing machine of claim 15 , wherein: the processor is operatively connected to the digital pen using a wireless communications channel.
20. The dimensional rating system of claim 1 , wherein: the first portion has a back surface; the first portion may be pivoted to adjacent the second portion so that the first surface is flush against the second surface; and the back surface accepts mail pieces for weighing.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 11, 2008
March 6, 2012
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